


Dear Kathryn

by Oparu



Series: Coffee in Bed [5]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-08
Updated: 2010-09-08
Packaged: 2017-10-11 14:29:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/113438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oparu/pseuds/Oparu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A letter Beverly wrote back to Kathryn while the latter was on a stellar survey mission. Established relationship. Fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dear Kathryn

_Dear Kathryn,_

Of course I'm right. I'm the head of Starfleet Medical. Meaning I'm the absolute head of all things medical in Starfleet. Being that you're in Starfleet, your body, technically, is my responsibility.

This means regular sleep, less than two pots of coffee a day, and perhaps, I know it's foreign to you, exercise. Maybe you'd consider finding someone on that little ship of yours to play velocity or tennis with. It might help you sleep better. If not, I can plan a special regime we can start when you return. I'm sure I can find ways to wear you out.

I don't know what your bad luck is with replicators. The glitches you were worried about in mine cleared up last week, mysteriously right after you left. I'm sure it's just a coincidence.

Don't get too friendly with your ghosts of the Badlands. Remind them you have plans when you get home. There's a new restaurant down in Costa Rica I'd like to try. I know it'll take a transporter trip, but the view is spectacular and the lobster is even better. I thought I'd send you a holo, but I've decided I'd rather have it be a surprise. That way you have something to look forward too.

This Romulan Cuperic fevers pose a special challenge. While you've been gone, I've been spending far more time in the lab than you'd like, and most of it is on this virus. With the mess of Romulan internal affairs following the coup d'état and subsequent split of the government, their medical scientists are scattered and completely lacking in support. Several of the best Romulan doctors are working with me now on Earth, but it's been slow going.

I don't need to tell you that the variation in the protein coat when it needs to bond to a copper-based endothelial is as unpredictable a supernova and unfortunately something I haven't had much time to study. In human blood there are markers known to Federation medical science. Most of the viruses on Earth have been studied, tested and can easily be replicated. We know them.

This is a new kind of evil. The Vulcan medical database has sent me a few centuries worth of research on all haemorrhagic fevers encountered on their planet, but there are a thousand years of tiny different evolutionary shifts in Romulan DNA and immune response. We're exposing Vulcan cells to the virus to see if we can use the mapped nucelocapsids of Vulcan viruses and their replication patterns to search for patterns in this virus.

We finally cracked the polyadenylated, monocistronic mRNAs when the virus bonded to a Vulcan host cell and finally started to replicate. It was enough of a celebration last night that I found the time to compose this letter in the morning. Forgive me if this is a little scattered, I can't remember half of the things I meant to tell you.

If the rambling thoughts of my far overwork mind put you to sleep, I can send you my pathology notes, though they're far less colourful.

This virus could mean thousands of deaths, maybe hundreds of thousands while sanitation is suffering in the post-war clean up. I tell my staff not to think about it, to focus on their work and let someone else worry about the greater implications. Doing a tour of duty as a CMO again sounds incredible now that I've realised that I am the person who worries about the great implications. I'm the one my staff hands their projected mortality rates to before they return to their laboratories.

It's enough to make me nostalgic for plasma burns and sprained shoulders in the holodeck. I'm afraid even having the whole bed to myself hasn't made me frequent it as much as I should, and I keep looking up from my work around the time you come looking for me to remind me of supper. I've been imagining restaurants as I eat at my desk. After Costa Rica, there's Riyadh, Salatiga, Depasar, Vūng Tàu, Darkhan and five or six others I added today.

We'll probably use up all of your transporter credits once we run out of mine, but it sounds like we'll need a break, if your stars can spare you for awhile. It sounds like your desk won't miss you. Mine probably wishes I would be gone more. I know she has things she's been planning to do.

It's been so busy around here I might just be rusty enough for you to get me once or twice in Mok'bara, if you practice. It'll be all the more embarrassing for you if you can't.

Keep your ship in one piece. Be nice to Doctor Sahn, she's only been out of the Medical Academy a little while and she's not ready to deal with your special ways of torturing your medical professionals. Besides, I told her personally how nice you are before Voyager left.

You may need to explain to me why plasma flares deserve an admiral's attention, lest I start to believe that you just wanted a joy ride around the galaxy for old time's sake.

I must admit that absence seems to turn you into quite the literary flirt. Something I shall have to research how to encourage if I find the time before you come back.

If I'm not there to meet you on your triumphant return from your very important survey, you do know where my office is.

Love,   
_Beverly_

P.S.

Before I forget, Wesley may be in town next week. He either meant this month or next month in his letter. You'd think someone with timespace at his disposal would be more accurate in his estimates, but, us lowly mortals have to make do. I'd like him to meet you. He's asked and I think, if you'll pardon the pun, it's time the two of you knew each other.

Don't worry I've only spent a fraction of the time telling him how wonderful you are that I've spent inflicting the reverse on you.


End file.
